Mystery proposal for Louth’s Cattle Market site

James Silcocks

East Lindsey District Council has asked a development partnership to bring forward a proposal for it to consider for the Livestock Market site in Louth, following a competitive tendering process - but it has not yet been confirmed what type of development may be put forward for the site.

The ADV Partnership, a joint venture between Arke Developments and VINCI Development UK, has been selected as preferred bidder following the a marketing exercise for the site over the last few months.

Due to the nature of the bid and the proposals submitted by ADV, the Council has asked the Partnership to do further work on them over the next few weeks.

ADV has said it will be developing a proposal that aims to generate an increased footfall in the town centre and create new jobs.

Following the additional work by the ADV Partnership, the Council will then decide whether or not it wishes to agree a conditional sale of the site. If a conditional sale is agreed, ADV will undertake widespread local consultation on its proposed scheme.

A spokeswoman for the Partnership told the Leader that she could not reveal any further information about the possible proposal “at the moment” as plans are still being formalised with various parties, but added that more details would be revealed in the coming weeks.

Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, Councillor Nick Guyatt, said: “The existing Livestock Market facilities need hundreds of thousands of pounds of investment and the site provides a huge opportunity for the town to enhance its offer further.

“The Council is keen to ensure that ADV brings forward a proposal that is appropriate for Louth.

“In parallel to ADV working up its final proposal, the Council continues to draw up plans for a replacement Livestock Market on Bolingbroke Road on the Fairfield Industrial Estate.

“The Council will shortly test the market with a view to understanding the level of interest from operators in running a new Livestock Market facility in Louth.”

In July 2014 Council accepted a bid for the existing Livestock Market site from McLagan Investments Ltd C/O ASDA Stores Ltd, subject to contract and planning. That bid was subsequently revised and as a result the sale wasn’t progressed.

The existing Livestock Market site is significantly under-used, hosting a Livestock Market half a day a week, plus a separate general auction on a Saturday morning. ELDC says it will be looking to ensure any newly developed facility is used on more days of the week than the present Livestock Market site.

Any future development on the existing Livestock Market site would be subject to a formal planning application and this will include pre-application consultation with stakeholders. This is separate from any decision the Council may or may not make to accept an offer for the site.

The Council has an obligation to provide a Livestock Market facility in Louth and for a number of months has been working with architects to develop plans for a new Livestock Market site on the Fairfield Industrial Estate in Louth, should the existing site be redeveloped. Any new site would be built before the existing site ceased to operate.

The bid submitted for the site by the ADV Partnership remains commercially confidential.